US POLITICIANS PAST
US Politi-Past: |
John Adams |
Jimmy Carter |
Lindsey Graham |
Ulysses S. Grant |
Melissa Hortman |
Abraham Lincoln |
- |
- |
James Madison |
- |
George Washington |
- |
|
|
==john adams======
John Adams
John Adams' relationship with Christianity was complex, evolving from the orthodox Calvinism of his New England upbringing to a more rationalist Unitarianism in his later years. While he consistently championed the importance of religion for public morality, his personal beliefs and official actions often reflected a distinction between faith and the state. Raised in a strict Congregationalist (Calvinist) household, Adams later rejected doctrines like the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, identifying as a Unitarian. He favored a "simpler, less mysterious" form of Christianity grounded in reason rather than superstition. He deeply revered the Bible, calling it "the most Republican Book in the World" and "the best book in the world," primarily for its moral and philosophical teachings. Adams held a firm belief in an "overruling Providence"—a divine power that guided human affairs and the destiny of the United States. In an 1798 letter to the Massachusetts Militia, Adams famously stated, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other". He believed religious morality was essential to prevent a republic from descending into "mob rule". In 1797, Adams signed the Treaty of Tripoli, which explicitly declared that "the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion". This was intended to assure Muslim nations that the U.S. was not a "Christian colonizer". As a primary author of the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, he included protections for religious worship according to the "dictates of [one's] own conscience," though the document still required public support for Protestant teachers.
|
The amazingly stunning world of democracy defenders | Guest column While John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people”, he did not specify any one specific religion as the source of that morality, and what he said was not written into the Constitution. Indeed, there is NOT ONE quote from the Bible, and NOT ONE mention of God or Jesus in the Constitution of the United States of America! The wise Founders knew better than to even consider doing that! The founders were flawed humans, as are we all, yet still they well knew the history of the many religious wars in the many nations, with several actually started by “Christians”. They did not want such wars to ever happen in the new nation they were establishing by the rule of law as proscribed in the constitution. That is why they prohibited the establishment of religion yet permitted the free exercise of religion—thus each free to practice whatever religion or no religion. That is what this retired United Methodist Pastor knows and thinks. (Pikes Peak Courier; 6.19.26) READMORE>>>>> |
|
John Adams
Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law-book and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged, in conscience, to temperance and frugality and industry; to justice and kindness and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence, towards Almighty God. In this commonwealth, no man would impair his health by gluttony, drunkenness, or lust; no man would sacrifice his most precious time to cards or any other trifling and mean amusement; no man would steal, or lie, or in any way defraud his neighbor, but would live in peace and good will with all men; no man would blaspheme his Maker or profane his worship; but a rational and manly, a sincere and unaffected piety and devotion would reign in all hearts. What a Utopia; what a Paradise would this region be!...............We have no government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by morality and Religion. Avarice, Ambition and Revenge or Galantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” --John Adams
==jimmy carter======
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924 – December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. Jimmy Carter’s deep Christian faith was the defining anchor of his life, presidency, and humanitarian legacy. As a lifelong Baptist, Carter made history during his 1976 presidential campaign by openly declaring himself a "born-again" evangelical Christian, introducing a term that was largely unfamiliar to national political media at the time. His faith was not merely a private comfort, but a public blueprint for ethical leadership. Carter taught Sunday school for decades, drawing crowds to Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia. He prioritized helping the poor, sick, and marginalized, viewing human dignity as a reflection of God's love. During moments of severe crisis, such as the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, Carter reportedly prayed up to 25 times a day. In his 1977 inaugural address, he directly quoted Micah 6:8, highlighting his commitment to "do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly." Unlike many modern politicians, Carter believed that a leader’s faith should inspire global reconciliation and human rights rather than partisan warfare. He famously utilized his shared Abrahamic faith with Israel's Menachem Begin and Egypt's Anwar Sadat to help broker the historic 1978 Camp David Accords. Furthermore, during a White House dinner, he successfully pressured Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping to lift bans on the personal ownership of Bibles and freedom of worship. While Carter's open faith initially energized religious voters in 1976, his relationship with conservative evangelicals quickly became fraught. He strictly defended the institutional line between church and state, refusing to use the presidency to mandate school prayer. His progressive stances on racial desegregation, the Equal Rights Amendment, and abortion laws alienated a rising conservative religious movement. In 2000, he publicly distanced himself from the Southern Baptist Convention due to its rigid theological shift against women serving in church leadership. After leaving office in 1981, Carter dedicated himself to practical, global humanitarian work. Through the Carter Center and decades of hands-on volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, he lived out his theology by building houses and fighting diseases in impoverished nations. Facing a terminal cancer diagnosis late in life, Carter noted that his faith granted him complete peace, declaring that his relationship with Christ removed all fear of death.
The Evangelicalism of Jimmy Carter
When Jimmy Carter spoke about his faith in Christ while campaigning for president in 1976, many evangelicals were ecstatic. No previous presidential candidate had claimed to be “born again” or spoken so openly about his relationship with Jesus. Nor had any welcomed journalists to his adult Sunday school class, which Carter continued to teach even while running for the White House. But then again, no other presidential candidate was a deacon in a Southern Baptist church. The United States needed a “born-again man in the White House,” Oklahoma pastor Bailey Smith told the crowd gathered at the SBC’s annual meeting in June 1976. Then he added, in case anyone missed the hint, “And his initials are the same as our Lord’s!”
(Christianity Today 10/30/24) READ MORE>>>>>
When Jimmy Carter spoke about his faith in Christ while campaigning for president in 1976, many evangelicals were ecstatic. No previous presidential candidate had claimed to be “born again” or spoken so openly about his relationship with Jesus. Nor had any welcomed journalists to his adult Sunday school class, which Carter continued to teach even while running for the White House. But then again, no other presidential candidate was a deacon in a Southern Baptist church. The United States needed a “born-again man in the White House,” Oklahoma pastor Bailey Smith told the crowd gathered at the SBC’s annual meeting in June 1976. Then he added, in case anyone missed the hint, “And his initials are the same as our Lord’s!”
(Christianity Today 10/30/24) READ MORE>>>>>
==lindsay graham======
Lindsey Olin Graham
Lindsey Olin Graham (July 9, 1955 – July 11, 2026) was an American politician, attorney, and military officer who represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 2003 until his death in 2026. A member of the Republican Party, he represented South Carolina's 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003 and served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1993 to 1995. Born in Central, South Carolina, Graham graduated from the University of South Carolina and its law school. He served on active duty in the United States Air Force from 1982 to 1989 as a member of the Judge Advocate General's Corps, working as a defense attorney and as the Air Force's chief prosecutor in Europe. He later served in the South Carolina Air National Guard and the United States Air Force Reserve, retiring as a colonel in 2015. He received the Bronze Star Medal in 2014 for his legal work relating to military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Graham was first elected to Congress in 1994, drawing national attention as a member of the House Judiciary Committee and as a House impeachment manager during the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton. He was elected to the Senate in 2002 and reelected in 2008, 2014, and 2020. He won the Republican nomination for a fifth term in June 2026 but died before the general election. Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline Graham, to serve out Graham's fourth term. A war hawk, Graham advocated an interventionist role for the United States and was a prominent supporter of Israel, Ukraine, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He frequently worked with members of both parties, particularly on immigration and national-security legislation, and was closely associated with senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman, with whom he formed a group known as the "Three Amigos". Graham chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021 and the Senate Budget Committee from 2025 until his death. He also played a prominent role in the confirmation of President Donald Trump's judicial nominees. Graham sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 but withdrew before the primaries began. Initially an outspoken critic of Trump during Trump's 2016 campaign, he later became one of Trump's closest congressional allies and supported him throughout both his presidencies.
Graham was first elected to Congress in 1994, drawing national attention as a member of the House Judiciary Committee and as a House impeachment manager during the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton. He was elected to the Senate in 2002 and reelected in 2008, 2014, and 2020. He won the Republican nomination for a fifth term in June 2026 but died before the general election. Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline Graham, to serve out Graham's fourth term. A war hawk, Graham advocated an interventionist role for the United States and was a prominent supporter of Israel, Ukraine, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He frequently worked with members of both parties, particularly on immigration and national-security legislation, and was closely associated with senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman, with whom he formed a group known as the "Three Amigos". Graham chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021 and the Senate Budget Committee from 2025 until his death. He also played a prominent role in the confirmation of President Donald Trump's judicial nominees. Graham sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 but withdrew before the primaries began. Initially an outspoken critic of Trump during Trump's 2016 campaign, he later became one of Trump's closest congressional allies and supported him throughout both his presidencies.
“South Carolina had a friend in Lindsey Graham, America had a statesman in Lindsey Graham, and I had a brother from a different mother in Lindsey Graham. I believe that Lindsey is in heaven. And frankly, I do not believe that for any reason on earth Lindsey would want to come back. So this should be a day of celebration. And while our hearts might be heavy… I’m also incredibly grateful for the time and the energy and all the colorful words I learned from Lindsey Graham along the way. … Lindsey taught me that you should hold on to your convictions, even if it costs you.”
-Sen Tim Scott
-Sen Tim Scott
‘America Is Better Because of Lindsey Graham’: Prayer Breakfast Honors Late Senator
Former Vice President Mike Pence is calling on Congress to rename Sen. Lindsey Graham’s signature Russia sanctions legislation after the late South Carolina Republican, telling Fox News Digital there would be “no more fitting tribute” to one of the Senate’s most influential national security hawks. In an exclusive interview, Pence said Graham’s years-long push for tougher sanctions against Russia should become both his legislative legacy and a permanent reminder of his unwavering support for Ukraine and America’s allies. Pence argued Congress has a rare opportunity to honor Graham by passing the bipartisan sanctions package he spent years championing and sending it to President Donald Trump with the senator’s name attached. (Washington Stand 7/23/26) Read More>>>>>
Former Vice President Mike Pence is calling on Congress to rename Sen. Lindsey Graham’s signature Russia sanctions legislation after the late South Carolina Republican, telling Fox News Digital there would be “no more fitting tribute” to one of the Senate’s most influential national security hawks. In an exclusive interview, Pence said Graham’s years-long push for tougher sanctions against Russia should become both his legislative legacy and a permanent reminder of his unwavering support for Ukraine and America’s allies. Pence argued Congress has a rare opportunity to honor Graham by passing the bipartisan sanctions package he spent years championing and sending it to President Donald Trump with the senator’s name attached. (Washington Stand 7/23/26) Read More>>>>>
Pence pushes to rename bill for Lindsey Graham, recalls final talk: ‘Bring Putin to the table’
Former Vice President Mike Pence is calling on Congress to rename Sen. Lindsey Graham’s signature Russia sanctions legislation after the late South Carolina Republican, telling Fox News Digital there would be “no more fitting tribute” to one of the Senate’s most influential national security hawks. In an exclusive interview, Pence said Graham’s years-long push for tougher sanctions against Russia should become both his legislative legacy and a permanent reminder of his unwavering support for Ukraine and America’s allies. Pence argued Congress has a rare opportunity to honor Graham by passing the bipartisan sanctions package he spent years championing and sending it to President Donald Trump with the senator’s name attached. (Fox News Radio 7/15/26) Read More>>>>>
Former Vice President Mike Pence is calling on Congress to rename Sen. Lindsey Graham’s signature Russia sanctions legislation after the late South Carolina Republican, telling Fox News Digital there would be “no more fitting tribute” to one of the Senate’s most influential national security hawks. In an exclusive interview, Pence said Graham’s years-long push for tougher sanctions against Russia should become both his legislative legacy and a permanent reminder of his unwavering support for Ukraine and America’s allies. Pence argued Congress has a rare opportunity to honor Graham by passing the bipartisan sanctions package he spent years championing and sending it to President Donald Trump with the senator’s name attached. (Fox News Radio 7/15/26) Read More>>>>>
Sen. Lindsey Graham Dies at 71, Leaving a Complex Political Legacy
Sen. Lindsey Graham, the longtime South Carolina Republican whose career spanned bipartisan deal‑making, fierce party loyalty, and a late‑stage alignment with Donald Trump, died Sunday at age 71. Graham died at his home in Seneca, South Carolina, after recently facing health challenges. The veteran lawmaker, who “rose from the House to become one of the Senate’s most recognizable Republicans,” was widely regarded as a figure whose political identity evolved alongside the GOP itself. NBC News, in a special report on his legacy, described Graham as “a complicated figure whose career mirrored the political transformations of the last decade.” One analyst noted, “He was always in the middle of the action — sometimes building bridges, sometimes burning them,” capturing his dual reputation for bipartisan cooperation and sharp partisan combat. (The Fulcrum 7.12.26)READMORE>>>>>>
Sen. Lindsey Graham, the longtime South Carolina Republican whose career spanned bipartisan deal‑making, fierce party loyalty, and a late‑stage alignment with Donald Trump, died Sunday at age 71. Graham died at his home in Seneca, South Carolina, after recently facing health challenges. The veteran lawmaker, who “rose from the House to become one of the Senate’s most recognizable Republicans,” was widely regarded as a figure whose political identity evolved alongside the GOP itself. NBC News, in a special report on his legacy, described Graham as “a complicated figure whose career mirrored the political transformations of the last decade.” One analyst noted, “He was always in the middle of the action — sometimes building bridges, sometimes burning them,” capturing his dual reputation for bipartisan cooperation and sharp partisan combat. (The Fulcrum 7.12.26)READMORE>>>>>>
==Ulysses S. Grant======
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was never an official member of any church, though he was raised in a Methodist family and maintained a respectful, private relationship with Christianity throughout his life. While he did not typically attend services or participate in religious dogmas, he frequently attended the Metropolitan Methodist Church in Washington D.C. as a trustee and had his own family pew at the United Methodist Church in Galena, Illinois. Born to Methodist parents, Jesse and Hannah Grant, he was raised with religious roots but was not forced to attend church or be baptized as a child. Grant was known to pray privately and held a high esteem for the Bible, once advising Sunday School children to "hold fast to the Bible as the sheet-anchor of your liberties". Often described as "The Sphinx" due to his quiet nature, he rarely spoke of his personal faith, leading some contemporaries, including his own son, to believe he was agnostic. On his deathbed in 1885, Grant was reportedly baptized at the insistence of friends by the Methodist minister John Philip Newman. As President, Grant was a vocal proponent of the separation of church and state. He famously advocated for the taxation of church property and the prohibition of religious instruction in public school. In his dealings with Native Americans, he implemented a policy that replaced corrupt secular agents with Christian missionaries, specifically Quakers, in hopes of "Christianizing and civilizing" the tribes. Despite his own Protestant background, he was the first U.S. President to dedicate a synagogue, a move seen as part of his effort to reconcile for his controversial Civil War order (General Orders No. 11) that had expelled Jewish people from his military district
==melissa hortman======
Melissa Hortman
Melissa Hortman (1970–2025) was a prominent American politician, attorney, and the 61st Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) Party, she represented northern Twin Cities suburban districts from 2005 until her death in June 2025. She is widely remembered as one of the most influential legislative leaders in Minnesota's history. She was elected to the Minnesota House in 2004. She served as House Minority Leader (2017–2019) and Speaker of the House (2019–2025). At the time of her passing, she held the role of Speaker Emerita. Hortman championed foundational legislation regarding renewable energy standards, universal free school meals, paid family leave, gun violence prevention, and abortion rights. Known for her strategic, bipartisan efficacy. Following the narrow 2024 elections, she engineered a historic 50-50 power-sharing agreement with House Republicans to pass a balanced state budget and avoid a government shutdown. On June 14, 2025, Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and their family dog, Gilbert, were tragically killed at their Brooklyn Park home in a targeted, politically motivated assassination. The assailant, 58-year-old Vance Boelter, posed as a law enforcement officer during the attack. He also targeted and wounded DFL State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in a nearby community before being captured following a massive statewide manhunt. In June 2026, Vance Boelter pleaded guilty to federal charges of murder and stalking. Under the terms of his plea agreement, he avoided the federal death penalty and was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus an additional 40 years in prison. Following her passing, a special election was held for her District 34B seat, which was won by Representative Xp Lee. To honor her transformational legacy, the Minnesota Legislature advanced bipartisan plans to rename the state's legislative office building the Melissa Hortman State Office Building. She is survived by her two children, Sophie and Colin.
The Seven Mountains Mandate: The Latest in Christian Nationalism
On June 14, 2025, Vance Boelter assassinated Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman, along with her husband Mark, in their home. Boelter also shot and wounded Minnesota state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, and attempted to shoot their daughter Hope. Reporting on the perpetrator of these murders on a National Public Radio broadcast, commentator Odette Yousef noted (emphasis added): We know that he graduated from a school in Texas called the Christ for the Nations Institute, which has put out a statement condemning the violence and saying it’s not what the school teaches. But the CFNI is considered to be a precursor to a movement that is now referred to as the New Apostolic Reformation. And we know that when Boelter was in Africa two years ago, he spoke during sermons about his belief in modern-day prophets and apostles in the U.S., and experts say this is distinct to NAR theology. And so, you know—now the NAR up until recently has been considered a fringe strand of the evangelical right. It’s a neo-charismatic expression of Christianity." (The Skeptic 7.7.26)READMORE>>>>>>
On June 14, 2025, Vance Boelter assassinated Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman, along with her husband Mark, in their home. Boelter also shot and wounded Minnesota state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, and attempted to shoot their daughter Hope. Reporting on the perpetrator of these murders on a National Public Radio broadcast, commentator Odette Yousef noted (emphasis added): We know that he graduated from a school in Texas called the Christ for the Nations Institute, which has put out a statement condemning the violence and saying it’s not what the school teaches. But the CFNI is considered to be a precursor to a movement that is now referred to as the New Apostolic Reformation. And we know that when Boelter was in Africa two years ago, he spoke during sermons about his belief in modern-day prophets and apostles in the U.S., and experts say this is distinct to NAR theology. And so, you know—now the NAR up until recently has been considered a fringe strand of the evangelical right. It’s a neo-charismatic expression of Christianity." (The Skeptic 7.7.26)READMORE>>>>>>
==abraham lincoln=====
The Theological Debate around the Declaration of Independence
On July 4th this year, America will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The document is a snapshot of the philosophical values embodied in our government. Moreover, if we are a creedal nation, as Justice Neil Gorsuch recently asserted, the Declaration is the prime candidate for our creed. Abraham Lincoln claimed, “I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence.” His Gettysburg address would frame the Civil War as a struggle to more fully embody its values. So too would the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Yet 250 years on, we find post-liberals and Christian Nationalists are questioning the liberalism enshrined in the Declaration—the assertion that the ultimate purpose of government is to safeguard life, liberty, and property and revolutions are a justifiable means to do so. While this challenge raises concerns, it is helpful to remember that the Declaration itself was the product of centuries of theological debate among Christians, and that not all Americans initially affirmed its values. Historically, Christians broadly believed they were obligated to submit to authorities (both political and spiritual) unless commanded to do something sinful. Passages like Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2 were cited as proof texts. Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation challenged this view. If a Pope could be defied, what about a king? German peasants thought so and rebelled, but their actions were sharply condemned by Luther and violently suppressed. The question lingered, however, in large part because the Reformation had split Europe into warring factions of Catholics and Protestants. Each side condemned the other as heretics. (Providence Magazine 7.4.26)READMORE>>>>>>
On July 4th this year, America will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The document is a snapshot of the philosophical values embodied in our government. Moreover, if we are a creedal nation, as Justice Neil Gorsuch recently asserted, the Declaration is the prime candidate for our creed. Abraham Lincoln claimed, “I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence.” His Gettysburg address would frame the Civil War as a struggle to more fully embody its values. So too would the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Yet 250 years on, we find post-liberals and Christian Nationalists are questioning the liberalism enshrined in the Declaration—the assertion that the ultimate purpose of government is to safeguard life, liberty, and property and revolutions are a justifiable means to do so. While this challenge raises concerns, it is helpful to remember that the Declaration itself was the product of centuries of theological debate among Christians, and that not all Americans initially affirmed its values. Historically, Christians broadly believed they were obligated to submit to authorities (both political and spiritual) unless commanded to do something sinful. Passages like Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2 were cited as proof texts. Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation challenged this view. If a Pope could be defied, what about a king? German peasants thought so and rebelled, but their actions were sharply condemned by Luther and violently suppressed. The question lingered, however, in large part because the Reformation had split Europe into warring factions of Catholics and Protestants. Each side condemned the other as heretics. (Providence Magazine 7.4.26)READMORE>>>>>>
==james madison======
|
What James Madison can teach Americans about religious freedom today As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, debates about religious freedom continue to occupy the center of American public life. Since taking office for a second time, the Trump administration has issued a number of executive orders on religion that raise new questions about religious freedom. On May 1, 2025, the administration established the Religious Liberty Commission. The commission will advise the White House on policies intended to protect the free exercise of religion and to prevent discrimination against people of faith by the federal government. The administration has also issued executive orders to “eradicate anti-Christian bias” and to broaden protections against religious discrimination across federal agencies. (NE Iwoa News: 3.9.26)READMORE>>>> |
Colonial Virginia was a hotbed of conflict over the authority of the Church of England. In the decades before the American Revolution, dissenting religious groups were punished by Colonial authorities for practicing their faith. Baptist and Presbyterian preachers were fined and jailed by local authorities for preaching without licenses. Some were imprisoned near the Madison family plantation at Montpelier.
The religious intolerance in Virginia left a deep impression on President James Madison. It heightened his attention to the dangers of religious authority allied with state power. He shared his concerns with his friend and future U.S. Attorney General William Bradford, whom he met during his years at the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University. In a 1773 letter to his “Dear Billey,” Madison posed a critical question as Bradford began his legal studies. He asked, “Is an Ecclesiastical Establishment absolutely necessary to support civil society in a supream Government? & how far it is hurtful to a dependant State?” Simply put, Madison was asking whether government-authorized religion strengthens society or threatens it. Madison also condemned the jailing of dissenting preachers by Colonial authorities. These actions, he wrote, reflected “that diabolical Hell conceived principle of persecution.” For Madison, such persecution was blatantly unjust. It damaged religion and civil society. Madison feared established religion because it threatened personal conscience and political liberty. Near the end of his letter, Madison asked Bradford “to pity me and pray for Liberty of Conscience.” This line reflects his growing belief that faith should be guided by personal conviction, not political power. --Corey D. B. Walker, Wake Forest University |
==george washington======
“In the Midst of the Congregation I Will Praise Thee”: The Political Need for Public Thanksgiving
Public worship occurred during public days of thanks in colonial and early Republic times. Indeed, it not only occurred, it took a central role in how many people gave gratitude. One prominent example came in President George Washington’s second term. On January 1, 1795, Washington issued a Thanksgiving proclamation. It consisted of a recommendation to, “all Religious Societies and Denominations and to all persons whomsoever within the United States to set apart and observe Thursday the nineteenth day of February next as a day of public Thanksgiving and prayer.” While setting aside this day, Washington further exhorted the country “to meet together” in order to corporately “render their sincere and hearty thanks” to God for his blessings to the country. In other words: Americans should go to church and give thanks. We know the American church heeded this recommendation. A number of published sermons remain from thanksgiving services held on February 19, 1795. They come from various denominations, including Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Baptists, among others, and choose from a wide range of Biblical texts. Levi Frisbie (1748-1806), pastor of The First Church in Ipswich, chose Psalm 100:3-4; Samuel West, pastor of the South Church in Boston, spoke from Daniel 2:20-21; William White (1748-1836), Episcopal Bishop of Pennsylvania, selected Deuteronomy 33:27a for a service attended by President Washington himself. (Adam Carrington/Ad Fontes 11/21/23) Read More>>>>>
Public worship occurred during public days of thanks in colonial and early Republic times. Indeed, it not only occurred, it took a central role in how many people gave gratitude. One prominent example came in President George Washington’s second term. On January 1, 1795, Washington issued a Thanksgiving proclamation. It consisted of a recommendation to, “all Religious Societies and Denominations and to all persons whomsoever within the United States to set apart and observe Thursday the nineteenth day of February next as a day of public Thanksgiving and prayer.” While setting aside this day, Washington further exhorted the country “to meet together” in order to corporately “render their sincere and hearty thanks” to God for his blessings to the country. In other words: Americans should go to church and give thanks. We know the American church heeded this recommendation. A number of published sermons remain from thanksgiving services held on February 19, 1795. They come from various denominations, including Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Baptists, among others, and choose from a wide range of Biblical texts. Levi Frisbie (1748-1806), pastor of The First Church in Ipswich, chose Psalm 100:3-4; Samuel West, pastor of the South Church in Boston, spoke from Daniel 2:20-21; William White (1748-1836), Episcopal Bishop of Pennsylvania, selected Deuteronomy 33:27a for a service attended by President Washington himself. (Adam Carrington/Ad Fontes 11/21/23) Read More>>>>>
George Washington
By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation.Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789. --George Washington; October 1789
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789. --George Washington; October 1789